This is the 6th annual Highland Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma walk. The event reaches hundreds of individuals from Highland and the surrounding communities and raises critical funds for the Scleroderma Foundation of Greater Chicago, one of the leading funders of scleroderma research. Participants join a walk through Wicker Memorial Park in Highland, followed by refreshments and entertainment for the whole family. It was started by a Highland woman as a way to bring the community together around a cause that has deeply touched her life.

About scleroderma

Scleroderma is a chronic, often progressive, autoimmune disease - like lupus or multiple sclerosis - in which the immune system attacks its own body. It causes hardening of the skin and can also damage internal organs such as the heart, lungs and kidneys. Approximately 300,000 people in America are estimated to have scleroderma; 80% of them are women. The cause of scleroderma is still unknown and the most severe cases can become fatal.